


an introduction to diplomacy

by xslytherclawx



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Gen, Golden Age (Narnia)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx
Summary: No one ever told them – any of them – how much bloody work being a king or queen actually was.or: Edmund prepares for his first diplomatic visit
Relationships: Edmund Pevensie & Lucy Pevensie
Kudos: 43





	an introduction to diplomacy

No one ever told them – any of them – how much bloody work being a king or queen actually was. In England, the King never really seems to do much at all; all the actual governing is managed by elected officials, and the King is, for better or worse, a figurehead who has extremely limited power.

Right now, Edmund is incredibly envious of King George.

He knows, if nothing else, Peter and Lucy wouldn’t be very sympathetic to the idea of forming a constitutional monarchy, even if he could get Susan on board, and the Narnians are probably even harder to convince still. That’s all assuming Aslan wouldn’t interrupt to set things right at the last moment.

No, it seems in Narnia, divine right of kings (and queens) is very much a real thing (especially given the unavoidable nature of who Aslan Himself is), and Edmund and his siblings have been thrown in with, at best, a few years of a high school education.

Sometimes he thinks his advisors don’t even fully know what’s going on, though they’ve a better idea than the Pevensies. They’re currently working on reestablishing diplomatic relations with Archenland, who have apparently been one of Narnia’s oldest allies.

No one ever told him how much extra reading he’d have to do. He’s not complaining about that, of course. This sort of thing suits him. He’s not as charming as Peter. He’s not as graceful as Susan. He’s not as  _ good _ as Lucy.

But he’s clever. Cleverer than he’s given credit for, really.

He can read all the volumes of Narnian history and politics he can get his hands on, and try to make some sense of how best to move forward. 

But it is  _ dense. _

They’re taking turns with it, dividing the work as fairly as possible, taking notes and sharing them. Eventually, Edmund gets the sense that the goal is for them all to have read everything, but they’re on a time limit.

He leaves for Archenland in a week. With Peter. They’re told it’d be a sign of respect to send the High King, and Susan is better trained to defend Cair Paravel if it comes down to it than Edmund is. (Not that Edmund’s not been learning how to wield a sword and fire a bow, but Susan is a natural archer).

The door opens, and Edmund starts. He looks at a clock on the wall. Is that really how late it is?

He looks over toward the door to see Lucy, carrying a tray with a teapot, milk, sugar, and two teacups. “I thought you could use some tea,” she says. 

He’s not sure how she knows, instinctively, never to offer him hot chocolate. He thinks he might be able to stand the taste some day, but not just yet.

“Thanks,” he says, clearing a spot on the truly gigantic desk for the tray.

She sets it down and goes to start serving, but he stops her. “Let me.” It’s the least he can do. They are, after all, technically equals now.

She lets him pour them both tea, and he sinks deep into the comfortable chair as he sips from his cup. 

“It’s all a bit much, isn’t it?” she asks. “Though I’m sure Aslan wouldn’t leave us with anything we can’t handle.”

“It’s quite the adjustment,” he says. “But you’re right; Aslan wouldn’t have done this if we couldn’t handle it.”

That, of course, doesn’t mean that he’s eager to hold a diplomatic meeting with a man who, by all means, is old enough to be his father. Especially when, in England, he’d be sent back to primary school. Peter is older, but not by enough.

“Promise to tell me what Archenland is like?”

“I will,” he says. It’s the least he can do, after all.

“We’ll all get the hang of it soon enough, and then we’ll wonder how we ever struggled with this.”

She makes it sound like a test, and maybe it is. Even if she’s wrong, he knows sooner rather than later, they’ll all at least  _ look _ like they know what they’re doing, and maybe that’s almost good enough.

**Author's Note:**

> it's always seemed... interesting to me how the Pevensies had no actual guidance on how to rule; the other Narnians couldn't have known much more than they did, and while I'm sure they were quick to set up diplomatic relations – how much help did they have on how to go about that?


End file.
